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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Some Advanced Dancers

by Frank Liu, Honokai Hale

Basic techniques are the fundamental components of a particular dance style. The syllabus figures are some commonly known patterns created by internationally recognized Ballroom Dance authorities for dancing using such basic techniques. Many of these syllabus figures are actually made up of groups of basic techniques.

Men profess to be lovers of music, but many give no evidence in their opinions
and lives that they have heard it. ~Henry David Thoreau

In Latin American dances, the most known basic technique is the Rumba Walk - Forward And Backward. Without knowing how to dance the Rumba Walk correctly, it is just not "da reel teeng." Likewise, Cha Cha Walks and Locks, Samba Walks and Locks, Paso Doble Walks and the Jive swing actions are all basic components of the specific dance styles respectively.

"Hot Rod Lincoln" by Commander Cody

Basic techniques and the related syllabus figures are easily recognizable and predictable. They are like a platform for everybody to learn Ballroom dancing from scratch. Most dancers can do very well just knowing the basic basics.

Reasons For Dancing Variations In Choreography

Variations are steps derived and developed from the very basic techniques and syllabus figures. Dancers must understand the basic techniques and figures before they can dance variations. For example, the Back Basic Overturn is a commonly danced variation in Rumba.

But for beginners, it is not easy to master the figure without a good understanding of the regular back basic and backward hip twist actions. This is like understanding a math formula before solving a problem.

Variations are often danced to break the monotony of sheer basic syllabus figures and they are monotony for very Advanced Dancers. The Universal dancer will dance the same movements regularly in sheer joy to the music. Cannot be done by the Rootzi Tootzis.

Instead of easily recognizable steps, often times these variation steps with high level of technical difficulties are created in dance choreography to surprise the audiences. A typical example is the use of syncopated timing in variations. Dancers must know how to dance in regular timing before they can dance in syncopated timing. Done right in most exhibition dances they are beautiful.

"Of the dancers, by the dancers and for the dancers" All the dancers?

Of course not, they do not all want to be involved and we must respect.